http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/04/29/2859057/17-arrested-outside-nc-senate.html

Quote :

"RALEIGH — In the strongest statement so far against the Republican legislature, a group of 50 protestors marched into the legislative building Monday and blocked the tall gilded doors to the N.C. Senate chamber in an act of civil disobedience that led to 17 arrests."

Here are a few of the NCSU students who got arrested explaining why:

5/1/2013 1:00:22 PM

They walked from the belltower to the senate? That's some good exercise.

5/1/2013 1:21:28 PM

They will be. In those videos talking about why they got arrested earlier this week, they also called on people to show up at the belltower and to march to the General Assembly. That gathering starts today in about 5 minutes.

5/1/2013 1:25:53 PM

#occupythesenate

5/1/2013 4:21:12 PM

More arrests in the state capital today:

http://www.wncn.com/story/22134803/nc-students-protest

Quote :

"NC students protest budget cuts, tuition costs, 'voter suppression' RALEIGH, N.C. - Students from across the state are staging a protest in downtown Raleigh, expressing dissatisfaction with the state legislature. The North Carolina Student Power Union's rally began at the North Carolina State University Belltower Wednesday afternoon and continued to the Civitas Institute, Moore Square Park and ultimately the legislature. Five protesters were arrested during the protest, and will most likely be charged with disorderly conduct after they tried to get past officers and walk into the legislative building. Civitas Institute is a conservative thinktank funded by state budget director Art Pope. Organizers say students are protesting "proposed budget cuts to public education and services, voter suppression efforts, and rising tuition." "We're joining in solidarity with all the other groups who feel shut out by McCrory's budget and the political climate in general," said Emily Morton-Smith, a sophomore at UNC Chapel Hill. "As students, our struggles are not separate from those of workers, immigrants, women, LGBTQ folks, people of color, or any other marginalized group.""

5/1/2013 7:33:11 PM

"In-State tuition for undocumented immigrant" ?!?! What the fuck is wrong with people?

5/1/2013 7:43:50 PM

Don't raise tuition...but do give in-state tuition rates to undocumented immigrants? I don't even...

5/1/2013 7:51:49 PM

With that goofy ass smile I hope that's just really good trolling.

5/1/2013 7:56:18 PM

I got the sense, like with the arrests that happened earlier in the week, it was a multi-issue coalition with voting rights at the center, though education and immigration seemed to be really big pieces too.

Don't Block the Vote

5/1/2013 8:11:57 PM

I mean, they're living here, presumably paying taxes and supporting our infrastructure.

Still, how would they even get accepted if they don't have a student visa or something?

5/1/2013 8:14:56 PM

Quote :

"I mean, they're living here, presumably paying taxes and supporting our infrastructure."

I think that's a good point, from a group perspective. And I think it's also worthwhile to zoom into the individual perspective.

A kid grows up here, goes to school with you, has friends here, has family here, maybe goes to church here, and has strong ties to the community here, and this is the only country and state they've ever known, and they are smart enough to get into college to boot.

Whatever policy reasons we have for making distinctions between the affordability of college for in-state and out-of-state students, I think it's a question working asking, does it make sense to treat smart young people who have essentially the same ties to this state as any of us do, should we make college access more difficult for them?

5/1/2013 9:09:51 PM

Hadn't seen an estimates on the turnout size until just now:

http://projects.newsobserver.com/under_the_dome/protest_on_jones_street

Quote :

"About 100 students, advocates for workers' rights, immigrants' rights and others protested in front of the Legislative Building on Wednesday. This follows a Monday night protest at the Legislative Building where 17 people were arrested. Wednesday's group marched from the edge of N.C. State's campus to Jones Street carrying banners condemning tuition increases, budget cuts and legislative proposals such as a voter ID law. Some of the banners read "Don't Kill Our Future," and "Stop Attacks on Workers." Five people knelt in the middle of Jones Street while the crowd gathered around chanting "Pope says cut back, we say fight back," referring to state budget director Art Pope."

5/1/2013 9:56:36 PM

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=259982684146151
Street blockade

WTVD Coverage (including video): http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=9086088

N&O photos: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/05/01/2863840/first-look-protesters-march-in.html#storylink=relast

[Edited on May 2, 2013 at 8:53 AM. Reason : .]

5/2/2013 8:41:49 AM

"they say cut back, we say fight back"

I'm not a fan of this slogan.

5/2/2013 9:13:47 AM

^ Why not?

5/2/2013 9:48:05 AM

these people are silly.

5/2/2013 9:56:42 AM

^^ Because this is how we get into massive debt territory. Well, it's 1/2 of how we get there. The other half is that people refuse to raise taxes.

Protest to raise taxes and I'll be cool.

5/2/2013 11:17:04 AM

Smath74 is strocking his neck beard at them

5/2/2013 11:22:43 AM

Clearly the best thing to do with an undocumented immigranted who gets accepted to a US university is to kick them back to the curb where their brown ass belongs, they clearly have no intention of doing something productive with their time or contributing to this country. That money is for the people who EARNED it by being BORN here.

[Edited on May 2, 2013 at 11:35 AM. Reason : .]

5/2/2013 11:34:39 AM

That's not the point. If you're going to allow in-state tuition to people that aren't actually state citizens, then just get rid of the in-state and out-of-state distinction. Everyone gets super cheap subsidized tuition, or everyone gets really expensive unsubsidized tuition.

5/2/2013 11:42:46 AM

there is no such thing as state citizenship, getting instate tuition is based on where you are living and have been paying taxes. there is no reason the same rules should apply to an undocumented immigrant the same was as to someone who moved to NC from another state. If they meet the requirements to show they are an NC resident, they should get in-state tuition.

5/2/2013 11:52:59 AM

Quote :

"Smath74 is strocking his neck beard at them"

protip: if you're going to call out another user on their lack of class or intelligence, at least make sure you're capable of spelling on a second-grade level.

[Edited on May 2, 2013 at 12:02 PM. Reason : .]

5/2/2013 12:01:42 PM

autocorrect son

5/2/2013 12:02:12 PM

Quote :

"That's not the point. If you're going to allow in-state tuition to people that aren't actually state citizens, then just get rid of the in-state and out-of-state distinction."

The difference between an illegal immigrant who lives in the State and an illegal immigrant who is a citizen is literally just a piece of paper. You of all people should understand how meaningless it is. I'm pretty sure they aren't asking for in-state tuition for illegal immigrants living in, say, Alaska.

Is that what you think this is about? Opening up In-State tuition not just to State residents but also every person on planet Earth who can show up in NC on the first day of classes?


[Edited on May 2, 2013 at 1:20 PM. Reason : .]

5/2/2013 1:18:00 PM

Word is there will be more protests on Tuesday. Depending on how it goes, there may yet be a 3rd round of arrests to add to this growing thread of people getting arrested fighting the efforts to make it harder to vote, and the general insanity coming out of this General Assembly.

I haven't seen any signs recently about the boob banning bill and divorce restricting bill, but there were definitely some yesterday alluding to the fact that this General Assembly was at least considering allowing an official state religion. Some environmental ones, a lot of education ones. But what did the legislators expect when they started pushing such a radical agenda?

Here's a nice shot from the N&O of the wall of cops keeping the students out of the people's house:

5/2/2013 2:45:09 PM

Isn't the public allowed to enter the Leg building, just not certain rooms?


Anyone know the rules on that?



edit:

Just looked it up and it looks like the public is allowed to tour the building but isn't allowed on the floor of the house or senate (nor can they disrupt them from the galleries). So I'm wondering how much legal gymnastics you have to go through to deny the public entrance.

[Edited on May 2, 2013 at 2:58 PM. Reason : .]

5/2/2013 2:49:50 PM

This is how democracy works!

5/2/2013 2:51:03 PM

Police State of North Carolina

5/2/2013 3:00:27 PM

Quote :

"Anyone know the rules on that?"

I've gone to a lot of the NAACP and Equality NC legislative advocacy days each year and I've always been free to roam around wherever I want to speak to legislators.

If there is a big bill being voted on, they sometimes won't let you through the door to get in or out the gallery where the actual vote is happening at certain times, but that's only a small part of the building that is separate from the legislative offices. It's the 1st floor legislative offices that are right behind the wall of police.

There have only been 2 exceptions. One time when Tillis was taking a lot of heat over the photo ID bill from a group of mostly African Americans, they pulled out an arcane rule saying non-lobbyists aren't allowed on the 2nd floor, even if that's where your legislator's office is at. But I think that's only been enforced once in the last 100 years.

The only other exception was during the Latino legislative advocacy day, when they let everyone in, but they made people sign 4 different forms in 2 different offices, while being escorted around by uniformed guards. Which that was the first and only time I've ever had to do that in all my years, which certainly felt like they were trying to intimidate the undocumented folks in the group.

Both of those incidents have been since the 2010 tea party wave. But otherwise you are always allowed in the General Assembly when the building is open.

5/2/2013 3:06:14 PM

Quote :

""In-State tuition for undocumented immigrant" ?!?! What the fuck is wrong with people? "

5/2/2013 4:00:04 PM

Quote :

"there is no such thing as state citizenship, getting instate tuition is based on where you are living and have been paying taxes. there is no reason the same rules shouldn't apply to an undocumented immigrant the same was as to someone who moved to NC from another state. If they meet the requirements to show they are an NC resident, they should get in-state tuition."

[Edited on May 2, 2013 at 7:08 PM. Reason : .]

5/2/2013 7:08:25 PM

Just got back from Wisconsin and its funny how they are far more open about allowing protests and other congregating on the lawn (people were sun bathing, they do a market there too).

Say what you want about hippies, but they know how to foster a democratic atmosphere.

5/2/2013 7:32:40 PM

^^

In think those people think immigrants can just march up from Mexico and get instate tuition.

They don't realize all it means is applying the same existing standards for in-state tuition to everyone.

5/2/2013 7:34:58 PM

did you get your state passport stamped in Wisconsin?!

5/2/2013 7:41:21 PM

a person living in NC illegally should NOT be rewarded for doing so.

5/2/2013 9:27:29 PM

And if they were brought here when they 3, and grew up here, should they be punished for living illegally too?

5/2/2013 9:34:03 PM

they should be given the opportunity to legally become a citizen, just like anyone else who wants to become a citizen.

5/3/2013 12:39:42 PM

unfortunately thought that is not the case, and even the plan that is being proposed would require a long, many-year process.

so for a lifetime resident of NC, brought to the state as a young child, who has been working and paying taxes in NC, what is the reason they should not be allowed in-state tuition? if they meet all of the residency requirements, they should be allowed in state tuition like everyone else.

5/3/2013 1:03:07 PM

They have been living here illegally. They should not be given an advantage over people who do the right thing and go through the correct, legal procedures. My personal belief is that the laws should allow for people here illegally to go through that same process, but they should not be able to skip ahead of people who started out doing it the rigth way.

5/3/2013 1:19:06 PM

Quote :

"My personal belief is that the laws should allow for people here illegally to go through that same process"

but as was just mentioned, that's not the case.

5/3/2013 1:22:15 PM

point?

5/3/2013 1:55:36 PM

Supplanter I was there for the 2nd floor incident (and was one of those kicked out)

5/3/2013 1:56:05 PM

^^the point should be obvious. what's your point? They should be protesting about the process for legally becoming a citizen?

5/3/2013 2:00:17 PM

ok... i too think that there should be a path to citizenship, but it shouldn't bypass the system that everyone else uses. tied to that the border should be secured.

5/3/2013 2:03:12 PM

Quote :

"They should not be given an advantage over people who do the right thing and go through the correct, legal procedures."

They aren't getting an advantage, just equal opportunity to become more productive members of society.

As for the "correct, legal procedures" they are broken as shit.

http://reason.com/assets/db/07cf533ddb1d06350cf1ddb5942ef5ad.jpg

[Edited on May 3, 2013 at 2:04 PM. Reason : .]

5/3/2013 2:04:33 PM

Quote :

"They have been living here illegally. They should not be given an advantage over people who do the right thing and go through the correct, legal procedures. My personal belief is that the laws should allow for people here illegally to go through that same process, but they should not be able to skip ahead of people who started out doing it the rigth way. "

That's a senseless self defeating perspective. Rather than allow intelligent kids who otherwise have the means to get an education do so, and fold into our society as educated people, you would rather encourage them to be uneducated parasites on society?

And it's likely the majority of these kids are working through the legal process, it just hasn't been processed yet.

The issue of people who have lived here as residents getting tuition as residents is completely disconnected from the issue of the overall immigration process.

It's idiotic to take a student who has been here for years, who is smart enough to get into college, and tell them you don't want them to get an education because you disagree with the federal immigration policy.

5/3/2013 2:42:56 PM

those are exactly the kind of immigrants a free market system should be encouraging, not sending away.

5/3/2013 2:57:45 PM

Quote :

"That's a senseless self defeating perspective. Rather than allow intelligent kids who otherwise have the means to get an education do so, and fold into our society as educated people, you would rather encourage them to be uneducated parasites on society?"

Or you know, they could pay out of state tuition. I mean, let's not get into hyperbole here, making someone pay out of state tuition isn't going to turn them into an uneducated leach on society, and if out of state tuition is that prohibitively expensive, then maybe that's a conversation that needs to be had.

5/3/2013 6:37:36 PM

why should they have to if they have been a tax-paying resident of the state who meets the residency requirements?

5/3/2013 6:42:30 PM

Those communities often face other financial challenges (I was just hearing on NPR how Latinos on average pay higher costs for the same housing relative to others), and especially for first generation college students, there are enough barriers in the way already.

And our country has a nasty legacy of racism, that certainly has affected immigration policy as much as it did with any other facet of society, that showed preferences for certain skin tones and from certain regions, in a non-free market kind of way.

To now say that smart qualified students who grew up in North Carolina are illegal and don't deserve the same opportunities as everyone else because of a status based in that history, even when they never had any choice about where their parents raised them, it just seems fundamentally unfair.

Yes we need to fix our immigration policy and that will help on this issue, immigration is certainly intertwined with a lot of issues, but in the mean time how many people have to suffer?

5/3/2013 6:48:45 PM